Part-145 SMS: On Paper vs. In Practice

In December 2024, the requirement for Safety Management Systems in Part-145 organisations became mandatory. The intention is clear: strengthen safety by embedding risk-based thinking into maintenance organisations.

But here in 2025, what are we seeing? Too often, the SMS exists on paper — procedures, manuals, policies — without being lived in daily practice.

Part-145 SMS: compliance on paper is not the same as culture in practice.

Reporting Culture: Still Mandatory-Driven

In many organisations, staff are still only reporting when the regulation forces them to. Mandatory Occurrence Reporting dominates, while voluntary reporting remains low.

As I wrote in June (“Why 70% of Your Safety Reports Should Be Voluntary – Not Mandatory”), voluntary reporting is the lifeblood of a functioning SMS. If reports only flow when they are mandatory, the organisation has no visibility of the smaller issues, the ones that can grow into serious events if left unseen.

Measuring Culture Matters

In July (“Reporting Culture – Are You Measuring It Right?”), I highlighted that a strong reporting culture can and should be measured. If the ratio of mandatory to voluntary reporting is skewed, that’s a signal: it’s time to campaign for Just Culture and re-educate staff about the purpose of SMS.

SMS is not a blame tool. It is a tool to:

• Improve procedures.

• Improve the work environment.

• And most importantly, make aviation safer.

Predictive Risk Assessments: A Cost Saver

Another area where “paper vs. practice” is obvious is risk assessment. Too often, organisations do them to “keep the authority happy.”

But when they are used proactively, they are not a cost at all.

💡Predictive risk assessment is not a cost. It is a cost saver.

By brainstorming what can go wrong before making a change, organisations can:

• Prevent costly mistakes, accidents, and delays

• Protect reputation and customer trust

• Even decide not to go ahead with a change that introduces more risk than benefit

When predictive risk assessments become the normal way of thinking, staff start to see real value in proactive risk assessment as well.

A Practical Tip: Make Reporting Easy

If your organisation uses an app-based reporting system, technicians are far more likely to submit reports. Why?

• They don’t have to leave the working station and go to a computer.

• They can attach photos directly from their phone, giving richer data.

Ease of use matters, when reporting is quick and simple, more reports will flow.

The EPAS Connection

The European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS 2023–2025) makes clear that extending SMS into Part-145 organisations is a strategic priority. But EPAS also reminds us: it’s not enough to write manuals, SMS must be effective in practice.

That means cultivating reporting culture, embedding Just Culture, and making risk-based decisions part of everyday maintenance.

Leadership Sets the Tone

But it all starts at the top. If management does not practice Just Culture, staff will not either. Culture flows downwards.

💡A paper SMS does not keep an organisation safe. A lived SMS does.

👉 Discussion point: For those working in or with Part-145 organisations, what have you seen as the biggest challenge in moving from “paper SMS” to a culture that actually works in practice?